6 Tips For Appreciating Rum

If You Really Want To Treat Yourself, Make This Your Next Drink

As the seasons turn and we brace ourselves for another winter, it’s natural to let our minds wander to warmer climates. Especially for those living above the 42nd parallel, summer’s departure signals six to eight months of reduced sunlight, shorter days, persistent rainfall on the West Coast and glacial conditions on the East. Those of us who are lucky enough to escape might be setting their sights on Caribbean destinations like Mexico to visit the Yucatan’s famous cenotes (natural limestone caves filled with natural water reserves), Cuba for its legendary Salsa clubs (yes, I’m shamelessly referring to Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights), and Hawaii for the prize-winning surfing. But if you want a rum experience, there’s one place I’d recommend before others.

Last month, I visited Jamaica courtesy of Appleton Estate. Commonly thought of as the home of reggae music and Rastafari, Jamaica also represents a pinnacle of rum culture. Consumed like water by both pirates and ordinary folk, the liquor Jamaicans call "rumbullion" and "kill devil" is ubiquitous. Found everywhere from the liquor cabinets of the most remote homes to the boisterous bars in the island’s biggest cities, rum is a huge part of the essence of Jamaica.

For some locals, rum has even taken on alternative purposes. When I inquired, several people spoke of rum’s medicinal properties, reporting that rum helped them relieve sore muscles, bug bites and headaches when applied topically. Although I can’t confirm these claims, they are a testament to how deeply embedded rum is in the local lifestyle — as is affirmed by Appleton’s slogan, “We are rum people.”

On a more quantifiable note, I did receive a crash course on tasting rum when I took the Appleton Estate rum tour. Hosted by Joy Spence, Appleton’s master blender (and the first female master blender in the spirits industry), I learned how to discern the different grades of rum on the market and how to best enjoy them. For example, while white overproof rum like Forty Creek Distillery’s Wray and Nephew features sharp, fruity aromas with mild spice notes that blend well in a variety of cocktails like the Mai Tai, it doesn’t compare to more refined, aged rums like Appleton’s 21-year-old, which can be fully enjoyed on its own with its kaleidoscopic range of flavors and subdued finish.

From rum punch to a Ting Wray, rum is the backbone of most Jamaican cocktails. But though many of us consider rum a party spirit destined to spike colas and flavour ready-made tiki drinks, there’s a new wave of aficionados challenging this preconception and pushing for rum to join the fine spirit playing field. After all, it’s a sugar-distilled spirit, just like whisky and bourbon.

Rum: How It’s Made

For those who aren’t so familiar with rum, you might be interested to know a little bit about how it’s made. At the base, rum is created from distilled sugar, either from a molasses-type product or from fresh sugarcane, which classifies the rum as an “agricole” rum. (Some rum producers, including Appleton, still harvest sugarcane manually with the help of machetes — a charming detail when you think of how mechanized industry work has become.) Although rum can be made anywhere in the world where sugarcane can grow, it’s primarily associated with the Caribbean, where islands like Jamaica have relied on a plantation-style economy since British colonization in the late 17th century. (To this day, sugar remains one of Jamaica’s primary exports to the E.U.)

Once the sugarcane is harvested, it get’s boiled, reduced to a syrup and eventually fermented to get the alcohol — what we’re all here for, am I right? (At Appleton, rum is actually made from a molasses product that’s created from boiling sugar crystals.) After about 36 hours, the alcohol is separated from the remaining substance through distillation, which can happen one of two methods: copper pot distillation or column distillation. Both methods are unique, widely used, and lend specific characteristics to the final product.

The art of ageing is one that was developed later in the history of rum. It’s only when rum was stored on Europe-bound boats in the 1700s that rumors surfaced of a smoother and tastier rum — one born from sitting in oak barrels for the duration of the several month voyage. Since then, aged rums have enjoyed the limelight as producers experiment with different ageing techniques and blends (when many rums are mixed together to form a product unto its own).

Some producers such as Appleton use once-used American oak barrels for ageing the rum. Previously used for ageing bourbon, these barrels not only contribute to the complexity of the rum’s flavor and caramel color, but their porous nature allows air to actively mellow out the rum’s tannins. Passing air also contributes to a small amount of evaporation known as the “angel’s share.”

Something to keep in mind is that when it comes to aging, testaments of aging in advertising can be misleading. While some comply to the E.U. or Caricom regulation to only list the youngest aged component in a blend (called a minimum-aged rum), others prefer to go with the average age, which often skews the overall impression of the rum quality to seem better than it really is.

In many cheap rums, additives are added to the distillate to alter or emphasize certain qualities of the spirit. Common additives include glycerin to thicken the rum, colouring to change its appearance, and spice infusions and artificial flavors to funkify the taste — none of which are necessary in a quality rum.

Rum: Enjoying It

But for most of us, what’s most important is how we appreciate rum once it’s in our glass. According to Spence, there are a few important things to look out for when tasting rum. These will require you to engage in sight, smell and taste (tasting being my favorite part, of course).

1. The Light: Rather than being dull, light should be clear and reflect invitingly through the amber liquid, a marker of quality processing.

2. The Olive Ring: When you look closely, an olive green ring should be visible just above the surface of the rum where it meets the glass (you may see it better with the help of a white napkin). This is an indicator of ageing.

3. The Texture: While some rum distilleries add glycerin to their recipes to create a thicker feel, Appleton achieves its liquid gold texture naturally. Described as “legs,” you can observe a rum’s texture as you swirl the glass and watch the liquid travel down the sides.

4. The Notes: When you receive your glass, take a moment to smell the rum’s notes, which may include orange peel, almond, and butterscotch. Once you taste, you’ll get the full complexity of the rum, complete with notes of vanilla, nutmeg, coffee, caramel and cacao (try with a bite of chocolate for maximum pleasure).

5. The Finish: When spirits age, they become less abrasive, smoother to drink as they lose any harshness associated with their aging pots or barrels. A good rum should have a mellow finish.

6. The After-Effect: Once you’ve finished, the notes you just tasted should linger in the belly of your glass. There may even be a few woody sediments leftover — an added sign of oak barrel aging.

So, next time you find yourself in a bar, whether it’s in rainy Vancouver, windy Chicago or snowy New York, do yourself a favor: Order a rum straight up or on ice (Appleton’s 21-year-old is awfully nice and rare with only 2,000 cases produced annually) and turn up the Island vibes (I heard Sean Paul is making a comeback). There’s no better winter-blues remedy.